The present invention seeks to enable the person using the consumer color reference kit to match, color coordinate or reference at least one item located at one location with another item, e.g., desired to be purchased at a store, which is located elsewhere, without having to bring the item desired to be matched from home to the store, as this can be inconvenient and sometimes well near impossible, for example, in cases where one wants to purchase wallpaper for a bathroom which will match or be color coordinated and compatible with towels, curtains and/or wall hangings.
In the past, for example, if one were to purchase a new tie which would match or be color compatible with a shirt, sport jacket and/or slacks, it was necessary to bring the item desired to be matched from home to the store to accomplish this by visual comparison. Not only is this cumbersome and bothersome, but also sometimes required passing through store security and getting a permit to bring the item desired to be matched/color coordinated into a given area of the department store. Similar problems can be encountered in trying to color coordinate scarves, jewelry, blouses, etc., with skirts, dresses and other wardrobe items. The present invention also enables person to person verbal communication of color description through specific indicia (number) reference which eliminates unclear and inaccurate memory accounts of a given color description/color comparison.
A variety of prospective solutions to color communication have been proposed in the prior art including those patents discussed herein, but in the main, these proposed solutions were directed to the printing industry for color communication from designer to printer and seeking improved results in the final printed product. These prior art color charts/masks are of little, if any, aid to the average consumer. They are designed and developed for those within the field of printing, are complicated and incorporate terminology and technology beyond the ready understanding of most typically average consumers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,428 issued to Gordon L. Phillips relates to color printing process and equipment utilized therein to assist the designers in creating color prints via the use of three basic process printing colors, cyan, yellow and magenta with black being optional. This Phillips invention assists the color printer in color reproduction control. The Phillips invention is basically a reference chart containing detailed instructions for mixing of three basic printing colors in varying proportions to produce colors on the chart via use of specific screen values. The color printing process equipment of Phillips include three large master screen tint charts and large sheets with colors printed on them (on various surfaces, e.g., matte paper, art paper, laminated paper) for cutting out to create visual effects so that a designer can describe to his printer, the designer's color choices. The Phillips invention identifies types of dot and pattern and proper screen values to control dot shrinkage and dot gain. The Phillips invention is stated to eliminate screen or dot problems called moire pattern and gives the artist/designer a common denominator of color choice for reproduction. Phillips is concerned predominately with preestablished screen values and shapes and angles of dots.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,434,227 issued to T. C. Brown, Jr. is directed to a color selective book having a plurality of sheets mounted on top of one another with each sheet having a front portion with a plurality of printing ink sample areas with screened reductions thereof and at least one folded over portion with each printing ink area divided by perforations into removable clip-on "samples." The plurality of sheets are mounted so that the lower sheets project laterally outwardly beyond the other ones for simultaneous display of all printed ink colors.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,057,546 issued to H. S. Griffin is directed to the use of two boards or sheets which are superposed and movable in relation to one another. The lower board is preferably stationary with the other one movable. The lower board has a number of spots of colors arranged in rows upon its upper face, e.g., the upper row has different shades of olive, the second row has shades of green, the third row has shades of orange, etc. The upper board is smaller than the lower board and has perforations edged with colors to permit the user to see the colors on the lower board in comparison with the edging colors around the perforations.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,564,743 issued to H. H. Adler is directed to a means to determine color combinations wherein the colors are arranged horizontally and vertically in rectangular areas on the chart and includes a mask having, e.g., three horizontally spaced openings which is used to select harmonious colors or tints of colors based on a musical scale coordination which uses major and minor chords and variations thereof. The Adler invention would seem to be very complicated to consumers not having a background in music and would seem to require a knowledge of music and musical notation, chords, notes, etc., in order to use the Adler chart.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,630,247 also issued to H. H. Adler is apparently viewed by the inventor to be an improved chart/mask arrangement compared to that of U.S. Pat. No. 1,564,743 discussed above. In Adler U.S. Pat. No. 1,630,247 the mask openings are diagonally arranged to reveal only colors harmonizing with the target color sought to be harmonized. This patent also uses an analogous relationship to a musical scale with major and minor chords and variations. It is clearly apparent that both of these Adler patents are far more complicated than the color matching card set of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,871,078 issued to B. Nash is directed to a color matching apparatus comprising a plurality of charts, e.g., two or three, each having a predominating color with transparent areas overlaying on a similar chart(s) to give the user a super imposed comparison of how a plurality of different predominant colors will look when combined, e.g., in floor tiles, for simultaneous inspection.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,858,624 issued to I. C. Bowman is directed to a hexagonal color selector chart having a plurality of radial lines (15,16) dividing it into an angular series of twelve segmented zones, spaced 30 degrees apart. A plurality of masks, e.g., seven (40) to (46) having trapezoidal windows fit within ribs (12) and each mask can assume six angular positions when rotated. The masks, although separable from one another, are interchangeable.